Parents of Ellen (24) pay tribute to 'absolutely stunning' daughter one year on from collapse at Cork City Marathon

Ellen Cassidy, 24, from north Cork, died suddenly while competing in the Cork City Marathon. She had entered the 21-kilometre half-marathon on short notice, receiving her entry the night before. Her parents planned a video call as she prepared for the 10am start. During breakfast, her mother received a call from a stranger’s number, which turned out to be the mother of Ellen’s boyfriend, Rob, saying Ellen had collapsed at the marathon and that it was serious. The family immediately traveled to Cork, with another call indicating the situation was critical. They arrived at Cork University Hospital, where emergency staff met them and it became clear that the worst had happened.

"“Here she was sitting on the island in the kitchen, having her breakfast, and off she went to the marathon,” Tom said. As Tom and his wife Violet were attending an anniversary mass in Listowel that morning, they decided to have a video call with their daughter as she prepared for the 10am run. Violet described the moment as normal and routine before the sudden change that followed."

"“It was a number I didn't recognise, presuming it was Ellen and that her phone battery had died. I picked it up and it was Rob's mum to say 'Vi, Ellen has collapsed at the marathon' and it's serious',” she said. Violet immediately understood the call was urgent and that Ellen’s condition was not minor, prompting an immediate decision to travel without delay."

"“She said 'you need to come straight away', so the family just said 'Go'. “Tom and myself got into the car and were leaving Listowel and the phone rang again 15 minutes later. It was Rob's mum again and said 'where are you now?' And I said, we're only 15 minutes or 16 minutes out of Lestol. And she said 'Vi, it's critical'.“"

"“I arrived to the back door of CUH [Cork University Hospital] to be greeted by probably the emergency consultant and a liaison nurse and brought us into the room. But we kn”"

Read at Irish Independent